The Ravens lost on Thanksgiving night to a Cincinnati Bengals team that most thought was better than them. Three days later, the Steelers had their chance against the Buffalo Bills and blew it. Both teams are tied at .500 with five games remaining.
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Two of those games force them to cross paths. The first of the pair comes in Week 14 on Sunday. The stakes couldn’t be higher. The winner takes a one-game advantage over the other and an important head-to-head tiebreaker.
It seems like the Ravens are the better team, but you can never know what these rivalry games will be like. That won’t stop us from guessing. Here are some bold predictions for Sunday’s clash.
Lamer Jackson throws two touchdowns and Derrick Henry runs for another.
If you’ve been paying attention to this, you may have noticed that we often try to forecast the production of Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry. That hasn’t gone well. One or the other always seems happy to disappoint us.
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If Lamar passes for touchdowns, King Henry has trouble finding the end zone. Then, as if on cue, Henry gets hot and Lamar seems to lose his charm.
Jackson hasn’t thrown a touchdown pass in any of his last three games, but who’s counting? Henry scored at least one touchdown in each of the last three games. The guys synchronize here. How about a pair of touchdown passes to Jackson and another rushing score to Derrick Henry?
The Ravens achieve 450 yards of total offense.
When the scoring is hot, heavy and frequent, it looks like the offense is really having a good day. The Steelers often have no problem allowing one. They can be generous, and with the holiday season approaching, they’ll be festive and in good spirits — figure 450 yards for Baltimore’s offense and some newfound faith in offensive coordinator Todd Monken.
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Baltimore’s defense forces three turnovers.
When Aaron Rodgers gets loose with the ball, there is no end to his generosity towards the opposing defense. He has thrown two interceptions in a single game three times this season, in Weeks 2, 7 and 10.
He hasn’t thrown one since, but coughed up the ball via a fumble in Week 13. That’s his first lost fumble along with seven interceptions in 11 games. It feels like it’s his turn, and with that left wrist bothering him, there’s a chance he’ll be more prone to mistakes, especially if he transforms into that other Aaron Rodgers. You know, the guy who looks like he’s 42 and counting.
The Ravens limit the Steelers to 20 points or less.
The Steelers have eclipsed the 20-point threshold in all but three games they’ve played this season, but this feels like a Ravens game to hit after the home loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Expect a more impressive outing and some post-game entertainment.
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Mike Tomlin has a postgame meltdown in his press conference.
Rivalries aside, coaches don’t get any cooler than Mike Tomlin. No one is more entertaining (or more honest) in front of a microphone. A Ravens victory is being ruined. So is a viral Tomlin moment, and damn it. We can’t wait to see both when they happen.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Ravens-Steelers Bold Predictions for Fight for Control of AFC North